Duplication devices, such as scanner devices, are well-known in the art and are able to reproduce copies of objects. For example, scanner devices produce machine-readable color image data signals that are representative of a scanned object, such as a photograph or a page of printed text. In a typical scanner application, the color image data signals produced by a scanner may be used by a computer system (e.g., a personal computer) to reproduce an image of the scanned object on a suitable display device, such as a cathode ray tube (“CRT”) or liquid crystal display (“LCD”). Alternatively, the computer system may print the image of the scanned object on a printer connected to the computer system.
Scanner devices, printers, and the computer systems to which they may be connected continue to decrease in price while increasing in quality. Consequently, more people find themselves with home computer systems that include, among other things, scanners and printers of very high quality. Indeed, many persons now possess home computer systems so advanced that they are capable of producing copies of objects that are virtually indistinguishable from the original copied objects. While the duplication feature of home computer systems can be beneficial, it also tends to increase the risks of counterfeiting.
The situations in which counterfeiting poses a risk are far too numerous to list herein. One such example, however, is the risk of counterfeit tickets to sporting events, concerts, movies, shows, etc. especially when the tickets are offered for sale prior to the event for which the tickets will be used. When the tickets can be purchased and obtained in advance, the time between the ticket offering and the event may provide counterfeiters with the necessary time to create counterfeit tickets.
Counterfeiting risks can be especially problematic for online vendors. Along with the price reductions for home computer systems, other computer peripheral devices, such as modems, are also decreasing in price. Consequently, more people find themselves with home computer systems that include modems and are using those home computer systems to connect to the Internet.
Once connected to the Internet, the variety of things people can do online is far too numerous to fully list herein, especially when considering that new Internet uses are being discovered continuously. One such example, however, is purchasing tickets online. Virtually any type of ticket can now be purchased online.
Typically, after purchasing the online tickets, the consumer will be provided with the option of picking up the tickets at a will call window or having them mailed. In the first scenario, the consumer may be required to expend substantial amounts of time waiting in line at the will call window. In the second scenario, the consumer may be required to expend substantial sums of money for the mailing expenses especially if there is not sufficient time between the date of purchase and the date of the event to allow for regular mail and the consumer must pay for express delivery.
Ideally, the consumer would be provided with the option of printing out the tickets on a printer connected to the computer system. By providing such an option, however, counterfeiting becomes a significant risk especially in light of the advanced quality of currently available scanner devices and printers. Without anti-counterfeiting safeguards, the tickets once printed out could easily be duplicated with a scanner and printer.
The problems associated with counterfeiting, however, are in no way limited to online shopping for tickets or counterfeit objects produced with scanners and printers. Indeed, counterfeiting can be problematic in many other situations. For example, security access cards may be counterfeited thereby allowing unauthorized access into what would otherwise be secure facilities. Similarly, gift certificates, checks, etc. also are at risk of being counterfeited. Although these are but a few of the numerous examples in which counterfeiting poses a risk, one can easily surmise that counterfeiting is a very significant problem that can be very costly and frustrating to those involved.